Fire-escape



(N0 M dh 4 A. R. YOUNT.

FIRE ESCAPE. No. 285,197. Patented Sept. 18,1883.

WITNESSES INYENTOR:

%fj/M'ML\ w ATTORNEYS. I

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT YOUNT,' OF YOUNTSVILLE, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 285,197, dated September 18, 1883.

Application filed May 21, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. YOUNT, of Yountsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of, which the following is full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of fireescapes in which the persons are suspended by meansof a rope or cable wound around a drum provided with a governor to regulate the speed. r

In connection with this invention a drum is mounted loosely on a shaft connected with a governor, regulating the speed, which drum is integral with another drum of less dimensions. On each drum a rope or cable is wound, said ropes being wound in opposite directions, so that when one is unwound the other is wound up, thus permitting the same escape-cable to be used consecutively by any number of per- To attain this both cables from said drums must be extended to the same point. On the end of large cable is a loop. The other cable is wound 011 a Windlass-drum. When an escape hasbeen made, the loop may be returned by turning the crank of windlass.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a-longitudinal elevation of my improved fire-escape, parts being shown in section. Fig.2 is asectional plan ,view of a part of the same on the line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the brake mechanism. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation on' the line 3 3 Fig. 1. u

A horizontal shaft, A, is suitably journaled in a frame, B, and on the said shaft a beveled cog-wheel, O,is rigidly mounted, which engages with a bevelcog-wheel, D, mounted 011 a vertical shaft, E, provided at its upper end with two arms, F, in the ends of which elbow-' leversG are pivoted, and connecting-rods H are pivoted to the inner ends of the elbow-levers, which connecting-rods H have their lower ends pivoted to a circumferentially-grooved disk, J, mounted loosely on the shaft E and adapted to slide up and down vertically. Balls K are secured on the outer ends of arms H.' The ends of a fork, L, pass in- (No model.)

to the circumferential groove in the disk J, which fork is made integral with one end of an angular lever, M, pivoted at its angle to a post orstandard, M. A brake-wheel, N, is rigidly mounted on the shaft E, and around the same a brake-band, O, made of some suitloosely, which drums are secured to each other or made integral. A ratchet-wheel, R, is mounted rigidly on the shaft A, adjoining one end of the drum P. Onthe same end of the drum P is pivoted a pawl, S, which pawl does not engage ratchet-wheel R until drum P rotates toward ratchet R. Then the U-shaped spring S, that clasps shaft A, will tip the pawl and cause it to engage the ratchet-wheel R. Thereby the descent of the cable from drum P will be governed by brake-wheel N. A cable or rope, T, is secured and wound around drum P, and a much smaller cable or rope, U, is secured to and wound around the drum Q in the inverse direction-of cable T. The other end of cable or rope U is attached to and wound around a windlass-drum, W". The Windlassdrum \V is provided with a suitable crankhandle, XV. One or any number of integral drums, P and Q, can be mounted on the shaft A, each being provided with a pawl and ratchet. Said drums P and Q may rotate either way and independent of other drums P and Q on shaft A. Ordinarily the rope or cable T is wound on drum P enough to reach from escapingpoint to the ground; also the same amount of rope or cable U is wound on Windlass-drum WV. If a person should put his weight on cable or rope T and descend fifty feet, drum Pwould pay out fifty feet, and drum Q would rotate and wind rope or cable U fromwindlass W. To use the escape again it is only necessary to turn windlassdrum \V. This lastoperation may be performed while other .drums P- and Q, are running either way promiscuously, because the shaft A is kept steady by the action of thegovernor onthe-brake in this manner. When the drum]? pays out the cable T, the U'- shaped spring S tips the pawl S. It catches on the wheel E, whereby shaft Awill be rotated, and in turn will rotate shaft E. The balls K, swinging outward, will thus move connectingrods H and the disk J downward. Thereby the lower end of the downwardly-projecting arm of lever M will be moved from wheel N, and will draw the band 0 taut and press it against the edge of the wheel N. The speed will not be checked, because it cannot become excessive. The great power of brake-band 0 will keep a uniform speed, whether weight on cables T be much or little.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the shafts A E, connected by the bevel-gear O D, of the arms '11, elbow-lever G, carrying end balls, K, rods H, the sliding grooved disk J, the fork L, carrying lever M, pivoted at its angle to standard M, the brake-wheel N, fast on shaft E, and the brake-band 0, end fastened to parts M M, whereby the cable may be paid out at the desired velocity, as described.

2. The combination, with the cable-shaft and loose drum, the ratchet R, fixed on shaft A, and the pivoted pawl S on the drum, of the U-spring S, clasping said drum and arranged to tip the pawl, whereby the drum and shaft will be automatically locked to gether, as described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a shaft, A, of a drum mounted on the same, a rope wound on the drum, the shaft E, adapted to be operated from the shaft A, the governorarms G, the connecting-rods H, the disk J, the fork L, the angular lever M, the brakewheel N, rigidly mounted on the shaft E, the brakeband 0, surrounding the wheel N, and having one end attached to a post or otherfixed sup port, and the other end attached to the lever M, substantially as herein shown and (le scribed, and for the purpose set forth.

ALBERT ROSS YoU vr.

\Vitnesses:

E. H. ONEALL, C. SWEENEY. 

